I love where I live. I really do. It is an incredibly beautiful area with abundant wild life. But one thing that really gets me, is so many of the farmers and ranchers here just don't care about the past.
This area is rich with homesteads dating from the late 1800's. They also opened it to homesteading to the returning GI's after World War II and many of the barns and homes here date back to the 40's. But that does not garner them any respect. They are torn down, burned down or left to fall down. Replaced by ugly, utilitarian pole barns.
Another came down recently. A really fabulous old barn, set way back from the road. It had sustained some roofing damage this last winter and I had been watching, hoping to see it repaired. They started to build a pole barn next to it and I got worried. Yesterday we drove by and it is gone. Nothing left to show a half century or more of history. Nothing to show the blood, sweat and tears that went into a building like that. Just gone.
I totally understand financial constraints. I understand needing usable, modern buildings. I don't understand a complete and utter disregard for living history. And the funny part? The part that makes me almost laugh through my tears? In the city and large urban areas, people pay big money for old wood. Most of these barns have hand hewn beams and beautiful, heavy planking. Many people pay good money for these woods to use in building new homes. They will re-purpose these beautiful woods into paneling or flooring or ceiling beams. Supplying people with this wood is a booming business. These short sighted men, seeing only that they want/need a new haybarn and the old one is in the way doze it down and light on fire a highly desirable resource. They burn what they could sell. They deprive themselves of an easy profit just as they deny future generations a tangible link to our history. If it wasn't so sad it would be funny.
I know some of you must think I'm going a little over the top but what happens when it is all gone? When we are reduced to showing our children faded photographs instead of letting them see and touch and explore? All of my life I have wished for, hoped for, prayed for a farm with a beautiful old barn. Even more than I want a beautiful old farm house, I would just love an old barn. They store your hay and belongings. Shelter your animals. Provide a place for children to hide and climb and swing from a rope tied to the ceiling beam. They provide fabulous photo ops. And the more of them I see demolished the less chance there is that I might have one someday. I just wish others saw the potential in the past that I see.
Blessings.
Whaqt a wonderful post!!! My gradnmother's house and barn are still standing after 100 years and it is beginning to show some wear and tear, and yes, eventually it willhave to be torn down. But I so dread that day, and I am sure many a tears will fall when it is taken down. Gradma is gone, and shortly after I lived in the house for several years before moving back to town,so it is speccial to me. When it is torn down though, we have decided to take the workwork, windows, french doors and other inside doors out before knocking it down. This way each of us can have a piece of the old house. In fact I found the original screen door with all the wooden scrolling on it in the back of an old chicken coop this summer. It is in pretty good shape and I plan on hanging it on a wall somewhere to remember times at Grandma's place.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that people don't see the history in these things, and that they don't realize that so many things can be salvaged for other buildings, etc.
Thanks for writing this post.
God's Blessings,
Amy Jo
I don't think you are over the top! I feel the same way.
ReplyDeleteWe just spent the weekend camping in the Rocky mountains. I loved seeing the old homesteads that some people were still living in. They had new windows and doors, but the buildings had obviously been there a very long time. Then there were some that were falling in and lonely looking. I wished that I could fix it and live in it!